Ray Gleason

RAY GLEASON is a retired army infantry officer, medieval scholar, teacher, and author of both fiction and non-fiction works.

Ray served as an infantryman for nineteen months in Vietnam with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, "Cacti Blue," and as a LRRP team leader with K Company, 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger). During his army career, Ray served in a number of command and staff assignments, collecting the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star for Valor, Air Medal, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Gold Palm, and a helmet-full of Army Commendations, and federal and state awards.

Upon retirement from the army, Ray enrolled at Northwestern University and earned a Master’s Degree and a PhD, specializing in medieval literature and semiotics. Ray teaches on the Chicago campus of Northwestern as an Adjunct Lecturer. Go Wildcats!

Ray has authored several fiction and non-fiction works, including the Gaius Marius Chronicle series, the Gaius Marius Mystery series, and the non-fiction A Grunt Speaks: A Devil's Dictionary of Vietnam Infantry Terms.

Ray and his wife, Jan Peyser, an award-winning silver smith / jeweler, share their time between Indiana and Chicago.